“I am driving, Mother,” I said.

“It is late.”

“Why are you calling?”

There was a pause, and I heard the low murmur of Brielle’s voice in the background.

Brielle was likely coaching her.

“We were just worried about you,” my mother said.

“Brielle said you left the base in a hurry.”

“We wanted to make sure you weren’t doing anything reckless.”

I smiled, a cold, humorless expression.

“Reckless like trying to sell land that doesn’t belong to you?” I asked.

“Maren, please,” she whispered, her voice dropping.

“Dorian is just trying to secure our family’s future.”

“Your father left so much confusion behind.”

“We just need to clear things up.”

“Is Dorian clearing things up right now?” I asked.

She went silent.

In the background, I heard Brielle mutter something about a flight to Cabo.

“He is at the cabin, Mother,” I said.

“I can see him on the cameras.”

“He is pouring gasoline on my father’s property.”

A sharp intake of breath came through the receiver.

“No,” she stammered.

“He… he went to check on the water pipes.”

“He told me there was a leak.”